Ghosts of the Past
by DarkStar8
Summary: In the aftermath of Buffy and Faith’s death a new Slayer emerges: Ashley Vaughn. *Chapter 8 up* Collin and Ethan have cooked up something for Ashley and her friends, but will a good-natured ex-demon save the day? An old friend returns...^_^
1. Hi, I'm Ashley!

Title: Ghosts of the Past: Book One of the Legacy of the Slayer Trilogy  
  
Author: DarkStar Disclaimer: Anything on the show isn't my property. Spoilers: Not many that actually happens on the show. Most of the stuff is altered so if you're new to Buffy don't think that everything I say happens on Buffy: The Vampire Slayer.  
  
Feedback: PLEASE! I really need some constructive criticism or advice any of you may have.  
  
  
  
Chapter One: Hi, I'm Ashley!  
  
The morning breeze blew in though her bedroom window. The sun was just rising over the horizon and shed a soft ray of light into her room, which landed on her lightly tanned face. However, her rest was soon interrupted by the ringing sound of her alarm clock.  
  
Ashley Vaughn unknowingly erupted from her slumber and threw her hand on her alarm clock, thereby by stopping the aggravating beeping noise and breaking the third one since she had learned of her previously unknown strength.  
  
She could still remember the day she went out with her old boyfriend, Samuel Miller. The night was wonderful and on a spur-of-the-moment decision they shifted the car into park on a less visited corner of Make- Out Point. It was the night a fist punched though the driver's side window of Samuel's car and when she saw her unsuspecting boyfriend be dragged out with it. When she jumped out of the car she saw a strange man's lips at the neck of her dark-haired boyfriend, and then she realized what was going on.  
  
She ran.she didn't know how long, but she ran. She ran until she heard heavy footsteps behind her and then she panicked. As it came to pass it was an old man running to catch her; a man called Mr. John Larrinburg. And ever since that night she was Ashley Vaughn: The Vampire Slayer.  
  
As the months went by her encounters with vampires and other demons were limited. Her nights patrolling Atlanta and its surrounding suburbs were just as eventful as occasionally stopping a man from taking a woman's purse.but on the slaying basis she killed 4 vamps a week. Then, on a special operation by the Council, it was arranged that she and her family would move to Sunnydale because of the threat the Hell Mouth imposed on the world.  
  
And so here she was. Waking up to a new morning in a new town in a virtually new world. As she went through her morning rituals, sometimes meaning to go into the bathroom but instead walking into the linen closet. It would take her a while to get used to this new house layout.  
  
However, her biggest dilemma came in what to wear. She knew it would be fine as long as she didn't have the 'slayer' look, but somehow it seemed impossible. Everything she wore she noticed didn't change the look of being a slayer. Eventually she was down with a purple, loose-neck sweater and faded jeans. She let her shoulder length red hair hang straight and curled the ends of her hair slightly in-ward.  
  
Before she knew it she was stepping out of her mom's black Trailblazer and walking up towards the school. Thoughts ran through her head of what people would think about her. The term 'new girl' sent chills down her spine for some reason.  
  
*******  
  
Eric Douglas raced up to his blonde-haired friend, Collin Johnson and immediately questioned him about the new girl.  
  
Collin merely laughed and said: "Listen dude, I don't know anything about here.oh.here she comes."  
  
Eric turned around and saw the very embodiment of his dream girl walk through the double doors of the entrance hall of the school. He looked back to Colin and then decided that he would 'attempt' to talk to her.  
  
"Hey," said Eric, stuffing his hands in his pockets, "you're new right?"  
  
Ashley smiled, she knew someone would call her that, "Yeah, I-I "m from Atlanta. And I'm kinda lost."  
  
"Oh, well.what are you trying to find?"  
  
"The principal's office."  
  
"Oh, Snyder's lair.just go through that door," he pointed to the glass and metal door to her left, "and straight down the hallway beside the desk and Snyder's door is the first on the right."  
  
Ashley smiled, "Thanks," as she began to walk off then stopped herself and looked back at him, "I'm sorry, where are my manners.I didn't even introduce myself! I'm Ashley Vaughn."  
  
Eric smiled back, "Eric Douglas."  
  
"Its was nice to meet you." She said and then walked straight through the door and towards Snyder's office.  
  
Eric sighed and brushed his hand through his short brown hair.  
  
*******  
  
The sound of papers hitting a desk abruptly shot Ashley out of her thoughts.  
  
"So we have a new girl joining us this semester." Snyder said as he eyed her papers.  
  
"Yes sir, that's me." Ashley made no effort to cover up the fact she was nervous. To her, Snyder looked like a miniature bald troll that could lash out at any moment.  
  
"Your record reads nicely, straight A's, only one write up for a tardy to class.looks like you're an almost perfect student."  
  
"Thank you sir." Ashley smiled.  
  
"Just behave and do exactly as I say and I won't expel you.have a nice day." He handed to her, her schedule.  
  
"You too sir." Ashley said as she left.  
  
*******  
  
Ashley rushed down E-hall until she came to room 128. She walked into the room and was met by a small hallway with two doors on her right, one labeled 'Storage' and the other labeled 'Dark Room'. To her left was a window that looked into the teacher's office. Then she stepped out into the classroom with a very large space full of different modules and students at work in them, to her left and to her right was lecture area with six rows of desks, each the bottom row sat on the floor and each other row was seated on a risen step about a foot higher than the previous.  
  
She eyed her schedule at her schedule to make sure she was in the right class. Indeed she was, Modular Technology with Mrs. Becky Edenfield.  
  
She walked up to her blonde teacher who was busy at work in the modules helping students. After two minutes Ashley was put in Photographic Development and was partnered with a bleach-blonde with faint blue streaks in her hair named Sherri Connely.  
  
After a brief period of silence between the new acquaintances, the two 16 year old girls began to talk and found out that they had a lot in common. By the end of the period Ashley had found out that Sherri was an Honor's student, had straight A's all her life and was going out with a 22 year old construction worker. She also learned that Sherri was not the most popular girl in school, as a matter of fact she was considered by most as braniac poor-white trash girl from New York.  
  
The two girls also got into a deep conversation about their past. Ashley told her of Sam's death but not by what and just some knick-knacs from Atlanta. Sherri's was much more complicated, and it took a lot of pleading from Ashley to get it out of her. Sherri had lived in New York for 14 years, and when she lived there she had a father that abused her mother and did other things to Sherri (Sherri never gave the details on the other, but Ashley knew what she meant.) Finally, at the age of 12 her mother went to the police and her father was locked up for 30 years. When she was 13, two months from her birthday, money was tight around the house and her mom shot herself over a bottle of vodka and Sherri was sent to a foster home here in Sunnydale.  
  
When Ashley face went from shocked to sad Sherri smiled, "Don't feel sorry for me, I'm fine."  
  
"I just-it sounds very lonely."  
  
"Nah, I'm happy.my foster parents, Richard and Tina, are great! And I'm happy with my boyfriend, I actually think I got the good end of the deal."  
  
Needless to say, the girls exchanged numbers and left the class feeling like they were best friends.  
  
*******  
  
Ashley followed the crowds down B-Hall until she reached room 126, Mrs. Faye Singletary, and asked the elderly teacher where to sit. The teacher pointed out the fifth desk on the second row, where Ashley soon sat down. Ashley watched as the rest of her homeroom class filtered in through the door.  
  
A brunette followed by two blondes and a redhead came and sat down beside her. The brunette took the seat in front of her, the two blondes on both sides of her and the redhead sat behind her.  
  
The brunette turned to her: "Oh hi," she said, "Umm, I don't believe I know you. Are you new?"  
  
"Yeah," Ashley replied, "Just moved here from Atlanta.I'm Ashley Vaughn."  
  
"Nice to meet you," said the brunette, "I'm Carolyn James."  
  
"Nice to meet you too." Ashley smiled.  
  
Thereafter Carolyn proceeded to introduce Ashley to the other three girls. The red head sitting behind her was named Brenda Thompson, and the two blondes were twins, Krysta and Krystal Bailey. All four of them were cheerleaders on the Sunnydale High Varsity Cheerleading Squad, and Carolyn was the CO-captain. After about fifteen minutes of simple chatting, that Ashley was about to die of boredom from, Krysta turned to Ashley and said:  
  
"Are the Ashley Vaughn from Herrington High?"  
  
Ashley had hoped that question wouldn't come up. She had been a cheerleader at her old school, indeed.she was the best freshman cheerleader the Herrington squad had ever had. It was about her mid-freshman year that the cheerleading coach came to her and asked her to attend the state competition, and of course Ashley agreed. Sam, who was a junior, was proud of her and was there when the judges rated her squad as the third best in the state and named her as the second best individual cheerleader next to some extremely talented girl from South Georgia.  
  
The top three squads were then asked to attend Nationals and her squad was ranked eighth, the highest Georgia rank, and she was named eleventh best cheerleader in the country. All in all it was a big year for her, but when Sam was killed and Mr. Larrinburg told her that she was the slayer she dropped out of cheerleading and had hoped that same rep wouldn't follow her here.but it did.  
  
But she wasn't going to lie to the girls: "Yes, I am."  
  
The next minute or so was confusing due to all four girls talking at once, as if she was Avril Lavigne who just walked in, but soon Carolyn was the only one talking.  
  
"You could do so much for our squad, were only the worst in California!" Carolyn stated, "You have to help us.come to practice after school at three thirty.please!"  
  
Ashley couldn't believe this, someone asking her to go to somewhere.begging more or less, "Sure, I guess."  
  
"Great, meet us in the gym after the bell."  
  
*******  
  
The rest of the day was relatively uneventful. Her second period was Algebra II with Miss Carrie Crowe, a 28-year-old fresh-out-of-college teacher. She was pretty, dark hair streaked with colors of golden blonde and she was incredibly thin. Her third period was US History with Mr. Gary Ford, a 57 year old Republican who had a talent for dozing off in class and causing other students to nod off also. She shared Algebra II and US History with Sherri and Eric was also in her US History class with her.  
  
Her fourth period class proved to be the most devastating. Not because of disaster, but because she shared it with half of the cheerleaders from the Varsity squad.  
  
When she walked into the room, which was about four times the size of a regular science room, Carolyn and Krysta signaled her to come to over to them, and so she did. She figured that at least she knew someone in the class and wouldn't have to deal with that 'new girl' feel.  
  
When she got over there it was more than obvious she was in the midst of the 'prep' crowd. There were very pretty blondes, and preppy brunettes, her and Brenda were the only redheads. However, Ashley couldn't complain because there were some extremely hot guys in the crowd too.  
  
One in particular that she noticed would sneak looks at her every now and then, mainly because he would catch her eyeing him, really caught her attention. He had a beautiful face, evenly tanned, defined jaw line, white teeth, and deep blue eyes. He had blonde hair, although Ashley had the suspicion his hair was naturally dark. He was tall, about 6'2, he was slim but it was obvious that he worked out.  
  
Little did she know, he felt the same way. He couldn't help it. When he saw her earlier in the day he did everything he could to find out who she was, only to find out that no one knew. But when he asked Carolyn she immediately set herself on the course to get him and Ashley hooked up. He was snapped out of his thoughts by Carolyn's voice:  
  
"And this is Parker Robinson," Carolyn eyed Parker.  
  
Parker held out his hand, "Nice to meet you." He noticed how soft and warm her hands were.  
  
"Nice to meet you too." Ashley smiled.  
  
"OKAY class, take your seats." Said their husky teacher, Mrs. Amphrodesia Roundtree, emerging from her office. As it turned out she was an excellent choral teacher who had a voice that would make a lion cry.in pain. 


	2. First Night Disaster

Chapter Two: First Night Disaster  
  
During the whole period all Carolyn wanted to talk about was Parker. Ashley had a sneaky suspicion that Carolyn knew more than she was letting on. But it was true, Parker was relatively hot, but it was her first day- she didn't need to get interested in someone that she didn't even know.  
  
However, Ashley couldn't deny that when she looked over at him talking to his friends or occasionally catching him glancing at her that she couldn't help but realize how good he looked or how sweet he seemed. But Ashley always cut these thoughts short.  
  
Anyway, she thought he could just be some pervert that just wants to get in my pants.right? Or-he could just be on the rebound from his old girlfriend. Or-  
  
"Anyway," said Carolyn, snapping Ashley out of her thoughts, "I think that look is sooo over! I mean, my grandma's polyester was made of better material."  
  
Her cronies laughed.  
  
"No need," she finished, "all you need to do is follow my lead and those make-shift mother-ship losers won't give you any trouble. Even that dork Eric Doug-Doug, whatever his last name is."  
  
To Ashley's great thanks the final bell rang and she bolted out of the room, Carolyn and her cronies did not pursue. She rushed through the halls out to the circle where parents picked up their kids.  
  
All in about a minute she threw her books in the backseat of her mom's Trailblazer and begged her mom to let her stay after for cheerleading. Of course, her mom was overjoyed that Ashley was already making friends and allowed her to stay out as long as it took. And strangely enough, for the first time Ashley had hoped her mom would have said "Hell no"  
  
*******  
  
Ashley walked into the large gym. The hardwood floor echoed the sounds of a group of boys playing a sweaty game of basketball on the far side of the gym. She also caught the blaring of a rap tune over the radio, the cheerleaders were performing a very good dance along with the beat.  
  
"ASHLEY!!!" Carolyn exclaimed from across the gym, she was in the midst of a few boys, three of which she recognized from chorus.  
  
Ashley smiled and headed over there to them, then to her surprise she realized Parker was there also, Carolyn had the stage set.  
  
"Ashley," Carolyn said, "Your remember my boyfriend Chris?"  
  
"Yeah," she said, she also recognized this boy named Michael Standish and another named Gerald Richards, and of course Parker.  
  
"I think the only one you don't know is Christian Myles." Carolyn looked over to an almost illegally hot guy who turned out to be a senior who was dating the co-captain of the cheerleading squad, Alexandria Mitchell.  
  
After about fifteen minutes of chatting with the 'gang' the cheerleading coach, who just so happened to be her Algebra II teacher: Miss Carrie Crowe, called the cheerleaders to the blue practice mat. There was no doubt when Ashley saw the cheerleader's practice routine that it would take quite a bit of work to boot them up to speed. Indeed, Ashley saw almost no hope to get them up to 'competition' standards in only two months.  
  
Ashley sat on the second row of the stands in front of the cheerleaders after she gave the coach a low down on what she thought. She actually believed that the cheerleading squad had the potential and the coach was a great one but-of course-the mortality rate of Sunnydale High School ended up in two of their key cheerleaders dying during Christmas break.  
  
She sighed, knowing that in a few hours she would be getting acquainted with the graveyards in this town. She let her eyes stray from the cheerleader's most popular cheer over to the guys. As it turned out, they had engaged in a game of basketball while waiting on their honeys to get done with cheerleading.  
  
"Go, Go, Go-Go Sunnydale! Go, Go, Go-Go Sunnydale!" the cheerleaders shouted as they concluded their cheer.  
  
Miss Crowe walked up to her and sat beside her, "So, what do you think?"  
  
"I'm no cheerleading expert, but I think that they are good-just set back."  
  
"That's fair, I guess." Miss Crowe stated, "OKAY GIRLS-GO HOME!" she yelled.  
  
And so the girls, clad in t-shirts and short shorts divided, some walking out in groups and others approaching their boyfriends and leaving. Meanwhile, as the gym was evacuating, Ashley got up her stuff-which consisted of her bookbag and pocketbook-and walked up to Carolyn and Chris.  
  
"Bye baby, see ya at the Bronze?" Carolyn said, tampering with Chris's hand.  
  
"Yeah, I'll see ya there." Chris smiled, gave her a kiss and headed out.  
  
"You ready?" Carolyn asked Ashley as she picked up her duffel bag.  
  
"Yeah," Ashley replied and the two girls headed to the double doors of the gym.  
  
As they stepped out into the night Carolyn twisted her head and saw Parker walking toward the Student Parking Lot.  
  
Carolyn turned to Ashley, a thought popping in her head, "You know," she said, "My car is sick, and the passenger seats are infected with West Nile so I can't give you a ride home."  
  
"Huh?" Ashley asked.  
  
"PARKER!" Carolyn exclaimed, "COME HERE PLEASE!"  
  
Ashley finally caught on, "Carolyn!"  
  
When Parker got up to them Carolyn smiled and said: "Parker, Ashley needs a ride home and my car is screwing up. Would you mind giving her a ride?"  
  
Ashley answered before he could even move his lips, "I don't want to inconvenience anyone, I can walk."  
  
"No!" Parker insisted, "I can give you a ride, no problem."  
  
"Really, I don't need a ride." Ashley wasn't trying to be ungrateful, but she knew that if she got a ride home with him it would only give her time to think about the possibility of him and her.  
  
"Its fine, you live on Turner Drive right? I'm only about a mile out of my way. My car is right down there."  
  
Ashley smiled, through gritted teeth. "Thanks, its very nice of you."  
  
"Great!' Carolyn said, "You kids have fun."  
  
Ashley eyed her.  
  
*******  
  
Ashley was surprised how much fun Parker was to be around. He did, after all, have that sweet look about him, but he was also hilarious. Every now and then he would throw in an all too clever compliment on how Ashley looked or how she acted that would make her think: that's so sweet!  
  
She knew that he would occasionally take an extended route to her house, but she didn't let him know that she knew. As a matter of fact, she wanted him to, she was enjoying getting to know him. But, after about fifteen minutes he pulled up into the drive of her house.  
  
"It was nice talking to ya." He said.  
  
"'Thanks for the ride." She smiled.  
  
As she grabbed her things and got out of the Grand Prix he felt a knot twist in his stomach, he had only known her for about 7 hours, should he?  
  
He rolled down the his window and got her attention just as she was crossing the lawn of her house.  
  
She turned and smiled, "Yeah?"  
  
"Do you want to come to the Bronze with me tonight, I'll be back to pick you up at nine?"  
  
Ashley knew she would have to say no, "No, I can't."  
  
"Oh, okay." His expression was enough to make her sad, he didn't have to speak.  
  
"How's Wednesday?"  
  
He looked up, "Great!"  
  
"Good," she smiled and turned to walk into her house, but then looked back at him, "555-0176, call me."  
  
He nodded.  
  
She walked into her house, told her mom she was home and rushed upstairs to get ready for bed.  
  
As soon as she stepped out of the shower her phone rang, it was Sherri. They talked for a good two hours, then Sherri's boyfriend showed up and she had to go. Ashley then occupied herself with homework, up until she looked out her window and saw a boy she recognized in the room in front of hers in the neighboring house. After a second she figured out it was Eric.  
  
She opened her window and tossed a small piece of candy at his window. After the second throw he came to his window, opened it and saw that it was Ashley knocking-or tossing-at his window.  
  
"What's up!" she said, "I didn't know I moved in next to you!"  
  
"Me neither, and nothing's up-in no way at all."  
  
"Huh?" she looked confused.  
  
"Oh, nothing." He turned slightly pink, "Well-um"  
  
"I gotta go, I got to get some sleep, I'll see ya later!"  
  
"Yeah." He replied  
  
She then closed her window and prepared for bed. She turned off the light and laid down, she ended up spending a half an hour contemplating on the events of her first day.  
  
*******  
  
Carolyn and Chris had met at the Bronze but decided that without a live band it was pretty lame, and that they had better things to do-perhaps at Make Out Point. Indeed, that is where they went and spent almost an hour in peace by themselves.  
  
"Chris?" Carolyn said, pulling away from his lips.  
  
"Yeah." He said, wondering what was up.  
  
"Don't you think its about time to be heading home, my parents are still pissed from when you brought me in past 11 last time." She smiled, seeing the expression on his face.  
  
"Sure, I guess." He reached to start the car, but when he twisted the key in the ignition all his car did was sputter and give out, even the radio and interior lights gave out.  
  
"Shit." Chris said, popping the hood and stepping out.  
  
He walked in front of the car and lifted the hood. What he saw shocked him, his engine and batter had been mauled. The cords connecting the battery to the engine were ripped off, and it was a recent job, almost in the very minute he went to start the car.  
  
All Carolyn heard was a thud and what sounded like Chris trying to call out her name. She didn't really think anything about it, until she stepped out of the car and saw her boyfriend at the mercy of two men; one draped in a brown robe with the hood of it hiding his face, the other that roared like a wild animal-and had fangs.  
  
She screamed and ran, she could hear someone yell "GET HER!" behind her. All she could think about as she ran was the blood pouring from Chris's head, he had been hit and possibly fatally. So she continued to run, she really didn't know where she had gone, rushing through the woods and occasionally splashing in a mud puddle. Indeed when something roared from behind her and snatched her off of her feet all she could do was cry.  
  
  
  
The vampire carried a knocked out Carolyn back to the area where the car sat. Indeed, the area was now full of about five vampires and six men in robes. It was fairly calm now that the two teenagers were captured. The vampire walked up to one of the men, obviously the leader, seeing as how he had on black robes and his hood was pulled back to reveal bleach blonde hair.  
  
"I have her Mr. Johnson." said the vampire  
  
"Very good, Lukas." He smiled, "Leave the car, let the cops wonder. You could vandalize it a bit, give their minds something to chew on."  
  
"Yes sir." 


	3. Where's A Watcher When You Need One?

Chapter Three: Where's A Watcher When You Need One?  
  
Ashley jerked awake to the sound of a ringing phone.  
  
She glanced at the clock; it read 6:00. She then snatched her phone of the hook and said "Hello." in a voice that did not hide that she had just awakened.  
  
"Oh," said a boy on the other side of the line, "Did I wake you?"  
  
"Parker!" Ashley jumped up and accidentally rammed her hip into the dresser beside her bed; successfully knocking it over and making a very loud noise that could probably be heard throughout the house.  
  
"What was that?" Parker asked, "Is this a bad time?"  
  
"No! I'm always up at-six in the morning." She lied. She went to sit down on her bed, but through her drowsiness and shock at him calling her, she missed the bed completely and landed with a thud on the floor.  
  
"This has to be a bad time." Parker halfway laughed.  
  
"No, I'm just wondering what do you want?" her voice wasn't exactly cold, but a bit confused.  
  
"I was just wondering whether or not you'd want me to pick you up around 7:30, you know, to take you to school." He said all too naively.  
  
"Umm," she acted like she was thinking about it, "Sure, that'd be great."  
  
"Great, I mean good, I mean-yeah, I'll see ya then."  
  
"Alright," Ashley chuckled under her breath, "Well, I gotta get ready, Parker. I'll see ya."  
  
As soon as they hung up the phone Ashley switched to 'DEFCON 1', extreme focus in the 'getting ready' portion of the morning.  
  
*******  
  
7:28 crossed the clock and Ashley was just finishing up the touches on her hair. She chose a black tank-top with a thin white button-up blouse over it and a short black skirt. Her hair hung to her shoulders, slightly curled on the ends and her bangs fit her face.  
  
She rushed down the stairs and grabbed her books. She called out "Bye Mom!" just before opening the door and running into Parker.  
  
"Oh!" She yelped.  
  
Parker smiled, "Your timing's impeccable, just when I'm about to knock."  
  
She grinned, "Hey Parker."  
  
"Well that's what I was gonna say, except 'Hey Ashley' instead of 'Hey Parker'."  
  
She eyed him as they walked out to his car, he took her books and put them in the trunk with his own and got in the car.  
  
Parker took her by the local Hardee's to get some breakfast and although she had a Pop Tart when she left she decided to cost him some money, just to be nice. She also took the liberty to control his radio, and to play 50 Cent's "In Da Club" and "Wanksta".  
  
They got to school just in time for the first bell, signaling they had ten minutes to get to class. So they grabbed their books and headed into the school. Parker indeed walked Ashley to her first class and when they parted she turned to him.  
  
"Where's your first class?" she asked.  
  
"Oh, its at the end of A-hall." He grinned.  
  
She eyed him, "But you're gonna be late! That's on the other side of the school."  
  
"Don't worry, it'll be fine."  
  
She grinned as he rushed off down the hall and out of sight.  
  
*******  
  
"You and Parker!?" Sherri said, a little too loud.  
  
"Shh!" Ashley grinned at the expression on Sherri's face, "Not 'me and Parker' but I do like him, and I think he likes me, so we are both in likeness and that's good-right."  
  
"When two people are in the state of likeness it represents goodness." Sherri replied.  
  
"But its impossible, I've only been here two days and I'm already wanting to be the honey of some popular jock. Can we say 'Hi, I'm an enormous slut!'?"  
  
"Nah," Sherri assured her, "You're not a slut and Parker is a good guy, a prep but a good guy. I think you should go for it, I mean, I only knew my baby three days before he asked me out on a date."  
  
Ashley grinned, "Me and Parker are going to the Bronze Wednesday."  
  
"Oh my God!" Sherri exclaimed, also a little too loud.  
  
Ashley eyed her, "Its not like I'm going out with Freddie Prinze Jr." Her grin widened.  
  
Sherri eyed her.  
  
"Okay, okay! Parker's a honey, with that extra stuff they show on the commercials, but-well-that's all I really had to say. He is a honey."  
  
Sherri laughed, "He must be a pretty good guy to get you hooked in a day."  
  
"Is it that noticeable?"  
  
"Only if you're breathing."  
  
When the bell rang Ashley and Sherri split paths at the end of E-hall and went their separate ways. She was headed to homeroom, where she got the biggest shock so far today.  
  
"I swear, they found her car vandalized at Make-Out Point." Krysta said.  
  
"And blood was found in places outside the car. And a piece of Carolyn's blouse was hung in a bushel of briars, it's not looking good." Krystal continued.  
  
"'Are you serious?" Ashley asked, all too exasperated by the news, "Were they kidnapped?"  
  
"The cops don't know, all they can say for sure is they're missing." Krystal answered.  
  
Ashley processed this in her head, blood-blouse-vandalized car. She had an instant flashback of that night with Sam, but she had to put that out of her mind. There was no reason to believe that this was connected to demons and the duties of the Slayer. Then again, Darryl-her overseer at the Council-had told her that her assignment to Sunnydale would be a tiresome one. He warned her that there would be vampires to deal with, but vampires leave bodies and not clues in the dark.  
  
Needless to say, Ashley found herself walking home from Sunnydale High after homeroom was over. The entire way home she was recollecting her thoughts and planning out how she was going to dump them on Darryl. It was true, Darryl had been there for her when she needed him but there was one thing she wanted now more than anything-except maybe Parker-and that was a Watcher.  
  
She rounded Marcolli Drive and went on a straight course to her house. To her relief her mother wasn't home and her father hadn't got back from that 'business trip' to Sacramento. So she had no problem getting in the house undetected.  
  
Ashley did not stop until she got to the phone. She knew it would run up the bill, calling England and all but the Council usually took care of such loose ends. So she picked up the phone, dialed the number to the Council HQ then dialed the Slayer extension and then the final extension to Darryl's office.  
  
"Darryl Worthing speaking," he said sounding a little preoccupied.  
  
"Darryl, its me." Ashley said in a half needy, half bitchy tone.  
  
"Not sure what that voice means Ashley, it either means I've made one big screw up or you're sad, either way its bad."  
  
"As a matter of fact, it's both. You see, I figured when you and your people over there decided to move me to Sunnydale I would have that things that some prefer to call a WATCHER!"  
  
Darryl jumped from the sudden raised tone, "Now calm down, were working on it-but our Watcher surplus has gone down defunct, all of our potential Watchers are either dead from that raid on Memmbarr's Pit or occupied with jobs for the Council."  
  
"Am I hearing this right?" she asked, "You mean to tell me that you don't have one Goddamn Watcher left to 'watch' the Slayer!"  
  
"Now calm down, Ashley. No need to get a raised voice from this mishap, I guarantee at Watcher in-"  
  
"DARRYL!" Ashley yelled, "LISTEN TO ME VERY CAREFULLY! 'SLAYER IN DESPERATE NEED OF A WATCHER!' Do you get that? An actual Slayer is requesting a Watcher, you're not that one getting single-white-femaled over here!"  
  
"What's wrong with you?" Darryl asked, "In times past you would've been happy to be free from the pressures of being under the constant surveillance of a Watcher."  
  
"Darryl, its happening again." She sounded broke; "I don't want a repeat of Sam, Darryl! And already two people who I happened to befriend have disappeared, and no one has heard from another boy and no evidence has been left of what happened to him!"  
  
"Okay, calm down sweetheart. Tell me these kids names."  
  
"Carolyn James, her boyfriend Chris Anderson and another boy named Collin Johnson."  
  
"Okay, I'll check up on this and in the meantime just maintain your regular slaying duties and I'll call you back as soon as I can."  
  
"Alright." She said weakly and hung the phone up.  
  
Thoughts ran through her head so fast it was hard to keep up, but it seemed like everything was slowing down. She walked into the living room and lay down on the sofa. She stretched out and turned on MTV; she had hardly got the TV started when she drifted to an uneasy sleep.  
  
She snapped out of her troubled sleep to the doorbell. She glanced at the clock; it was 6:23-after sunset.  
  
She got up and without fixing her hair or anything answered the door.  
  
Parker smiled, "Am I interrupting anything?"  
  
"Oh," she said, realizing her hair was in a mess, "No, I just woke up."  
  
"I noticed," he replied.  
  
She stood there for a moment, kind of zoned out to the fact that they were still standing in the doorway flew from her mind, when she finally did snap back into reality she saw Parker making obvious expressions with his face.  
  
She smiled, "Oh, I'm sorry. Come in."  
  
"Thanks." He said.  
  
The next few minutes were awkward. Her mother wasn't home, and probably wouldn't be until ten o'clock; she informed Parker of this and then came the progression of Parker asking if she wanted him to leave and her saying, 'No, no.' The truth be known, she didn't really want Parker to leave, she felt oddly alone and Parker was comfort in that.  
  
They walked into the living room, exchanging words about why she left (which she said was because her mom picked her up for a job interview) and why Parker was so late coming over. They didn't do much more that chat for about a half an hour.  
  
Then 'Sorority Life' came on MTV and Parker went to reach for the remote saying "I know were not gonna watch this."  
  
Ashley held it out of reach and replied: "What if I want to watch it."  
  
He reached farther, mainly aggravating her, "What did I say?"  
  
"OH!" Ashley exclaimed, "whose house are you in again?"  
  
They laughed and Parker took the chance to snatch the remote from her hand.  
  
"Ha." He grinned.  
  
She wouldn't take that and caught on that Parker wanted to irritate her. She played along and reached for it. When one thing led to another they ended up a little close, closer than either of them had intended to get. However, Parker took this opportunity and planted a soft kiss on her lips.  
  
For a moment Ashley let the kiss go, then she realized what was happening- it was too fast-and she thought of Sam and she pulled away instantly.  
  
There was an awkward moment in between them and finally Parker broke the silence by saying: "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that."  
  
"No, I am." She said, rising to her feet. Parker followed suit.  
  
"Listen, I know I was moving too fast but-"  
  
"No, I mean yes-I don't know!" she interrupted, halfway furious that she pulled away and the other halfway filled with anger at the kiss ever taking place, "But I have to go." And she did, she knew that it was time she take her place as slayer of the town and find out what happened to Carolyn and Chris.  
  
"You know, I can just leave."  
  
"It's not that!" Ashley said as she ran upstairs, Parker followed.  
  
"Then what is it, where are you going?" he asked  
  
"To change, I have to go out." She closed the door behind her.  
  
He stopped about mid-stair and walked back down, grabbing his letterman jacket.  
  
She came back down dressed in blue jeans, a black tank-top and a leather jacket. She carried, concealed in her jacket, two stakes, a cross and a bottle of holy water.  
  
Parker felt as if he had violated her, or something. All he knew was that he did something she didn't like and now she was leaving her own house because of him.  
  
"Ashley," he started.  
  
She turned to face him as she turned out the light in the foyer and locked the door behind her, "I've gotta go somewhere, I'll be back."  
  
"I can give you a ride."  
  
"NO!" she exclaimed, all too obvious that something was going on, "I mean, I can walk-it's not far."  
  
He eyed her, "I'm sorry." And he retreated to his car.  
  
She felt so sorry for him; she wanted to tell him. She wanted someone to be there with her; she longed for companionship once more. Sadly, fate never played her a straight hand; she always ended up a card of two short. So she retreated to her haven, the darkness that shrouded the evil she had to fight. 


	4. That's Kicking Your Ass

Chapter Four: That's Kicking Your Ass!  
  
Sure Parker, Ashley thought, Just go ahead and kiss me when I have to go out and kill a bunch of things that you'll never know exist. I HATE MY LIFE!  
  
All Ashley could do while she walked down the sidewalk was think of that kiss. She thought of the exact WRONG timing of it and how good it was. She hated herself for liking it; she called herself everything she could muster for liking to have Parker's lips on hers, but the feeling never went away.  
  
Why had she been so quick to reject the kiss? There was noting wrong with it, she wasn't seeing anyone and neither was Parker. So what was wrong?  
  
I'll tell you what's wrong, Ashley thought, all you're going to do by going out with him is get him killed, or worse! I don't want a repeat of Sam; I can't take that again!  
  
She continued with the internal arguments up until she crossed the Sunnydale City Park. She felt that honing sense she got when a vampire was close and knew she was being watched. She had the odd longing to fight a vamp on concrete-just to aid her in mauling it to death until it wished it had died of old age.  
  
And so she walked all too casually out into the parking lot in front of the tennis courts next to the park. Then she dropped her stake to the ground, knowing that the vamp couldn't see what it was.  
  
"Oh my," she said in the best helpless tone she could muster. She then leaned down slowly, like she was collecting more than just one single thing.  
  
She could feel the vampire coming closer; it was her greatest gift as a Slayer. As the story went, every slayer had something-an advanced sense beyond the average Slayer. With Buffy Summers it was prophetic dreams, with Kendra it was a tap into the Oracles which gave her a commanding and fear-free personality and an attachment to Order, and with Faith it was an extremely advanced fighting style and super-slayer strength. In Ashley's case it was advanced demon awareness and an ability to sense a demons next move.  
  
She could feel the vampire coming closer, and then-right before he attacked- she felt more vamps, at least 4 more.  
  
"Shit!" she said as she swung her fist around, smashing the vampire across the jaw, which sent him flying back about five feet and crashing to the ground. She turned and roundhouse kicked the next attacking vampire and lunged at the one at its side, sticking a stake in its back as they tumbled to the ground.  
  
She landed on the concrete and rolled over, letting her foot slam the face of another vamp. She then flipped up and saw the four remaining vamps all charging at her at once. She took her fighting stance and when they were mere feet away from her she flipped over them and grabbed one of the vamps by the head, taking it with her.  
  
She threw the vampire as soon as she landed and staked it in the back when it landed. However, she had left herself unguarded when she went for the kill and right after she staked him two of the remaining vamps snatched her up and held her as the other vampire pounded her.  
  
Then she heard tires screech behind them and could feel light behind her. The vampires cut her loose and turned, to see a Grand Prix GT speeding toward them. Ashley leaped out of the way as the car slammed the three vampires back, which stunned them long enough for Ashley to leap into the car through the passenger side window.  
"What the hell was going on back there!?" Parker exclaimed as he shifted the car into park beside the road.  
  
"Its nothing." She replied all too calmly.  
  
"Nothing!" Parker eyed her, confusion slapped on every inch of his face; "You killed a man! Two of them and turned them to dust!"  
  
Shit! Ashley thought, for she knew that he had seen her fighting but she did not know that he had saw her dust those vampires. How was she going to explain and worm herself out of this one.  
  
"Dust?" she asked, "What dust? There was no dust. See me, not in any state of dustiness."  
  
"You're a horrible liar." He said plainly, "Are you in some kind of trouble? A witch or something?"  
  
"I think you've had a bad dream." Ashley spat out before thinking about it.  
  
He eyed her.  
  
"Okay, okay!" she exclaimed, "Enough of the third degree."  
  
Five minutes later Parker's mouth hung open in pure disbelief. She had given him the overview of what she was, and why she was here to begin with.  
  
"Parker," she said, her voice softer than it had been all night, "I'm fighting a war against demons-I'm doing my best to keep the world spinning and I can't do that and worry about what may happen to people I care about in battle. Buffy, an old slayer, had friends who knew and it ultimately ended up in most of their deaths and in the end she died also."  
  
There was a long pause, finally Parker looked at her and said: "I want to help."  
  
"Parker, NO!"  
  
"Why not? I mean, I can handle myself. If Sunnydale is as demon infested as you say and I've been alive this long-I must be doing something right."  
  
"You can't! I won't let you!"  
  
"You can't stop me." He grinned.  
  
"Goddamn it Sam!" Ashley did not realize what she had said.  
  
There was a pause and finally Parker spoke up: "Parker."  
  
"What?" Ashley asked quickly.  
  
"My name is Parker, not Sam. Listen, is there something you're not telling me?"  
  
Ashley looked halfway angry and halfway in despair, "I'm not saying anymore." She then opened up the car door and stepped out.  
  
She stormed down the road and Parker was in hot pursuit. He caught up with her shortly after she started to storm off and he stopped her, turned her around to face him and said: "Ashley, what are you holding back?"  
  
She looked at him then turned and started to storm off again. But Parker grabbed her arm to stop her and she instinctively turned and let her fist kiss his face. He jerked his head to the side from the blow of the hit, clutching the left side of his face.  
  
When she realized what she had done she touched his arm, "Oh God, Parker, I'm so sorry!"  
  
"Its okay, just let me readjust my jaw." He said.  
  
He turned to face her, his hands at his side and she saw a wide and partially swollen blackish-purple mark right above and around his jaw joint. She in turn stepped closer and put her hand over the bruise.  
  
"I am sorry," she said affectionately.  
  
He slightly grinned.  
  
There was a moment of assured silence between them. More than a moment, until finally Parker leaned down and kissed Ashley. This time she didn't pull away, she knew she should but she wouldn't she just put her arms around him.  
  
She finally jerked away when she heard a scream down the road. She didn't take time to tell Parker to stay there, she simply ran and she came to a graveyard: Should've guessed. she thought.  
  
She flipped over the fence and stepped carefully into the cemetery. If had not been for the full moon out tonight she wouldn't have been able to see a thing, even with the light from the moon she could feel an odd sort of tension in her heart, as if she was supposed to be afraid. Something very wrong was happening in the graveyard.  
  
She walked deeper into the midst of the cemetery and then it hit her, the honing sense that told her there were three demons about fifty yards to her left. So she turned and crept her way over to where the vampires were. As she drew nearer to the vampires she could hear chanting in what she could only recognize as Archaic Latin.  
  
She heard a footstep right behind and she turned and swung. Parker ducked just in time, "That hand is dangerous, luckily I've learned to duck and cover."  
  
"Parker!" she exclaimed in a whisper, "Go away! This is dangerous."  
  
"I know, that's why I came." He ginned.  
  
"There are at least three vampires where that chanting is coming from!" she had a sharp whispered tone, "Now go, you could get hurt."  
  
"That is the point, if I go wandering off by myself back to the car a vampire or some hellish demon may attack and kill me then ambush you and who would be there to run them over next time?" He grinned evilly.  
  
"Alright." She eyed him, "But stay back and when I go in you hide."  
  
"Alright, I get to watch you kicks ass-interesting."  
  
She turned to face the direction where she was heading. The chanting had now turned to another language that she did not recognize, and when they got in sight of the ritual both hid themselves behind a large willow tree. There were three vamps, the three vamps that she had failed to stake and six people in brown robes. Two were standing over two bodies laying on makeshift tables-the two bodies were Carolyn and Chris!  
  
Just when she was about to rush in she noticed they were breathing, they were alive. She took another minute to examine the scene. Three of the figures in brown were standing in a line between the two beds, the remaining figure was in the middle of the beds chanting. One vampire was standing out to the side watching the event and the other two were stepping forth, in front of two people on their knees, these people were Sherri and Eric.  
  
She began planning her attack just when the three robed figures broke their line and stepped back about five yards from the action. The chanting figure also stepped back and rose his hands high into the air while the two vamps drug Sherri and Eric to where the chanting one had been standing.  
  
The chanter turned to English and rose his hands as high as he could: "For the blood of the innocent is the sweetest, and from the blood of the innocent they shall rise again!"  
  
Thunder cracked in the background and Sherri, Eric, Chris and Carolyn all woke up almost on cue. Sherri looked up and let out a scream as the two vampires held knifes in front if her and Eric, preparing to slash their throats.  
  
"UNLEASH THE SOULS!" The man exclaimed and the vampires brought their knifes back. By now Sherri and Eric were pleading for their lives and Carolyn and Chris were watching, helplessly tied up.  
  
Ashley flipped into the fray and staked the vampire in front of Sherri and before the other had any time to react she staked it in turn.  
  
The look on Sherri and Eric's face were enough for her to know that they were both thankful and confused.  
  
Ashley turned, the other vampire and three of the robed figures were rushing towards her. As she engaged in a fight to the death with the vampire, who had the help of three of the robed ones (who were all too obviously human), Ashley rushed in and untied Sherri, Eric, Carolyn and Chris.  
  
Ashley put up a good fight, but soon all of the robed figures held her down and the vampire approached her. She kicked and jerked but the six of them were too much for her to escape. She clenched her teeth and jerked as far back as possible from the vampire.  
  
She was amazed to see a stake stick through the vampires chest and to hear a ruckus behind her as several thudding sounds hit the air. When the vampire turned to dust she saw Sherri and Carolyn sanding behind it and when she turned she saw Chris, Eric and Parker fighting the men in brown robes. She grabbed one of them, incidentally the leader of the pack, and snatched him out of the fray.  
  
She went to snatch the hood off of his head but he snatched out of her grasp.  
  
He glared at her, "You have no idea what you're messing with, girl."  
  
"Let me guess," she acted like she was thinking about the subject, "evil, death, destruction?" She stepped up and grabbed him by the throat and said: "Been there, done that-right now I'm kicking your ass!"  
  
"El ilumnarro!" he exclaimed and she was thrown back from the man and a blinding flash of light lit up long enough for all of the brown robed figures to flee.  
Ashley finally regained full sight about five minutes after the brown figures were long gone. The rest of the group was staggering, but soon they too could see once again.  
  
Carolyn looked in a state of shock, amazement and terror all in one breath: "What the fuck are you?"  
  
Carolyn, Chris, Sherri and Eric all looked expecting and she knew that she couldn't lie-it was all unmasked this very night and she had no choice but to tell them.  
  
*******  
  
She stood in front of Parker outside of his car. She thought of the events of the night in a nutshell moment. Sherri and Eric of course wanted to be a part of what was going on, and Ashley knew they couldn't but also knew they wouldn't give up until they were official Slayerettes. Carolyn and Chris were all too shocked to answer what they were going to do, but she made sure that all of them understood NOT to speak a word of what they saw.  
  
Now here she was, a block away from her house standing in front of Parker while the minutes slipped away. They weren't really talking, just chatting brainlessly-thinking of things to say just so they could be around each other longer. Finally she mentioned that she better go and Parker's face changed from happy to an attempt to hide needy.  
  
She looked up at him, rubbed her hand across the swollen mark where she had hit him.  
  
"I'm so sorry," she said for the hundredth time, literally.  
  
"Its alright, at least you touched me." He grinned, trying to hide the fact that his last line was all too corny for a strait face.  
  
She took his hands and wrapped them around her waist and she put her arms around him, placing her head on his chest. She could hear his heartbeat, slow but lively and all she could do was think about how special he was to her.  
  
She felt a tear running down her cheek, she was crying and she didn't even know. She was crying for Parker, the possibility that she may loose him was too much for her to bear. She didn't know how long she was there with him, crying, she just wanted him to hold her until time itself no longer mattered, until it was just him and her. 


	5. Miss Carrie Crowe

Chapter Five: Miss Carrie Crowe  
  
Ashley jerked awake, memories of the past night flooding into her head faster than she could comprehend. Had her and Parker been through all that? Had Sherri, Eric, Carolyn and Chris actually found out who she was? Did Carolyn and Sherri actually stake a vampire? What had all transpired the night before?  
  
As it ended up, she didn't have enough time to think about this, it would only be about twenty minutes before Parker would be there to pick her up. So she went about her morning rituals and didn't stop to think about her motor functions. When she got done getting ready she had pretty well hidden the fact that she was in a deep mode of sorrow and desperation. She had on form fitting denim overalls and a long sleeve white V-neck sweater under it. Her hair was hanging to its full length down just past her shoulders and her feet were housed in Timberland boots.  
  
She smiled to herself in the mirror: "Ashley, you can do this. Just act normal and you'll get through this." She said to her reflection.  
  
The truth was that she knew it would be a tough day. She knew Parker, Sherri and Eric would not stop until they knew everything about the slaying and were a part of it. She knew this could not be, and she couldn't let them even think that they were going to be a part of slaying-it was too dangerous and she loved them too much to let anything happen to them.  
  
By the time she looked at the clock she realized it was a quarter till eight, she had kept Parker waiting for fifteen minutes! So she grabbed her books and rushed down the stairs, then realized that she had forgotten her pocket book and decided to just forget it. She rushed out the door and nearly tripped over Parker who was sitting on the porch steps.  
  
"Parker I'm so sorry, " she said  
  
He got up, smiling, "Don't worry," he took her books for her and walked her to the car.  
  
Why does he have to be so sweet? She thought, All its doing is making it harder.  
  
They didn't say much as Parker drove them to school. They merely played with each other's hands, and even as they did so Ashley watched the muscles in Parker's arm knot up and release under his tanned skin as his fingers and hand shaped to fit her hand. She notice then, for some odd reason, how much she could love someone she had only known for two days. He just made her feel wanted-needed-and loved. Every time he touched her he took one more piece of her heart when he let go and when he kissed her their bond grew even stronger. But she knew that she couldn't let herself fall for him, for Mr. Larrinburg's words still rang clear in her head:  
  
"Sam's death was not coincidence. Somehow that vampire knew you were the Slayer, he knew that he must take you out. That's why you mustn't get involved, that's why you mustn't let anyone get in the way-because them knowing is dangerous. When the cards are all down your enemies will strike out at whatever they can get to hurt you, then all your loved ones are is targets."  
"Ashley!" Parker snapped her out of her thoughts, "Are you okay?"  
  
She looked at him, their hands were still together, "Yeah, I'm fine.'  
  
"Oh," he looked as though he had been expecting more than that, "I was just wondering-you seemed deep in thought."  
  
She grinned, "This is bad, you already know when I'm thinking. My secret's out."  
  
He smiled, "Don't worry, I won't let anyone know that you actually think."  
  
As soon as they got done saying those words the bell rang. So they got out of the car and gathered their books.  
  
Parker approached her and said: "We got through the safety stuff so now Weightlifting is moving out to the field house.so I'll see ya later?"  
  
Ashley nodded. Then Parker stepped closer, nearly towering over her and leaned down and gave her a surprising but expected kiss just before they split paths as she walked toward the school and he toward the field-house next to the football field.  
  
*******  
  
Indeed, Ashley's thoughts were only intensified by the kiss Parker gave her earlier that morning but it seemed as though Sherri had been thinking more about all of the things that went on last night than her. All during first period all Sherri could talk about was the whole 'slaying' deal and everything else that was supposed to be kept secret. Finally Ashley had to play sick and leave just in time for the bell to ring as soon as she left the room.  
  
In homeroom she learned of Carolyn's story. She and Chris had been telling people that they were 'kidnapped' as a joke by someone and just didn't feel like coming to school and while they were gone someone must have trashed his car, but it was nothing that his parents couldn't fix.  
  
When Carolyn had finished telling them what supposedly happened and Krysta, Krystal and Brenda were done questioning her and insisting that she should have called them that Carolyn asked Ashley: "So, you mind if me and Chris join the group?"  
  
Ashley sighed, "Carolyn, there is no group. Not to sound cranky but I can't risk getting you guys hurt."  
  
"No hurt necessary, I just want to keep updated on what's going on, I mean- after you find out what really goes bump in the night." Carolyn pushed her lips together and turned to talk to Krysta, who was fresh with new questions.  
  
Ashley spent the rest of the twenty minute period thinking of how she was gonna tell Parker and Sherri and Eric they wouldn't be able to assist her in the slayage.  
  
When the bell rang she headed to Algebra II and took her usual seat. Sherri immediately put a letter on her desk when class began.  
  
Is there something wrong with the whole slayer thing? You seemed mad this morning, did I do something wrong?  
  
Ashley wrote back: No, there's not. Well-yes there is. Sherri, I can't let you guys be in on it, its too dangerous.  
  
Sherri read this and hastily returned it: NO! We're not gonna get hurt, I swear. We just want to help. I mean, its not like you've ever been through this before.  
  
Ashley passed the letter back to Sherri with the words: You're right. seething with the stench of a lie. However the teacher, Miss Crowe noticed they were passing a note and took it up-read it at her podium and then eyed Ashley and Sherri.  
  
"Ashley, see me fourth period." Miss Crowe eyed Ashley.  
Ashley and Sherri took their seats by Eric and Collin in third period. Sherri told Eric that Miss Crowe had taken up a letter they had been passing back and forth dealing with the whole slayer deal. No doubt Ashley was freaked, and she needed to talk to Parker, especially with the whole 'meet me during fourth period.'  
  
Eric leaned in to them, "You think that she thinks you are a crazy delusional person and is gonna commit you to a mental institution."  
  
Sherri slapped Eric on the arm, "ERIC!"  
  
Ashley grinned, "No, its fine. Its good to know he's not all serious about this. It makes things easier."  
  
Eric nodded, "And easy is my middle name."  
  
Sherri raised an eyebrow, "Yeah, that's Eric-always the easy way out."  
  
"Not always." He said defensively.  
  
Ashley grinned and then looked up to the teacher as he called the class to attention. It wasn't fifteen minutes before half the class was asleep and he was telling the class of his adventures in Vietnam and how it related to Queen Elizabeth's desire to establish colonies in America. Then he sat at his desk while they were taking a quiz over the defeat of the Spanish Armada and Mr. Ford fell into a deep sleep that lasted even after the bell rang for the fourth lunch group to go eat.  
  
When the bell did ring for their lunch Ashley joined Eric, Sherri and Collin at table number 3 and enjoyed a reddish hamburger with fries harder than her mother's brownies, and that is synonymous with the word rock. They tended to avoid the subject of last night due to Collin's presence but the conversation they did engage in proved to be one that nearly made Ashley laugh herself out of her seat. She had almost forgotten about the decision she had to make and enjoyed the time away from the drama of being a Slayer.  
  
Soon Parker came up from behind Ashley and sat down next to her.  
  
"Hey baby," he said and have her a quick kiss.  
  
She eyed him, "Hey baby?"  
  
He smiled, "Yeah, I figured I'd attempt to call you that and see how far it gets me-gotta have good standing for our date tonight."  
  
"Trust me," she said as he slipped her hand into his-she smiled, "you're standing on high."  
  
The bell rang and they stood, Ashley grabbing her books and Parker released her hand.  
  
"That's good to know." He leaned down and gave her a longer kiss then said, "I'll see ya in fourth."  
  
She sighed, "No ya won't, after Study Hall I've gotta run to Miss Crowe's room, she wants to see me about something."  
  
He saw the look of fear cross her face, "What?"  
  
She sighed as Eric and Sherri joined the two of them, "She took up a letter me and Sherri were passing back and fourth in class that had some stuff on it about last night."  
  
Parker's eyes went wide, "Well-if she thought twice about it and brings it up you could just tell her you and Sherri are in a gang or something called the Slayers, it might pass."  
  
She grinned, as did Sherri: "Yeah, I'll try." She gave him one last kiss and they parted paths heading for Study Hall.  
  
*******  
  
Ashley paced down the hall until she came to Miss Crowe's room. She knocked once and opened the door to find Miss Crowe sitting at her desk talking to Collin.  
  
He turned to Ashley, "Oh, she's here."  
  
Miss Crowe looked up from her desk, "Ashley, I'm sorry I was talking to Collin about some material for Key Club and I got carried away, come on in."  
  
Collin got up and walked to the board and started writing some things for the club meeting after school today. Meanwhile Miss Crowe finished whatever it was that she was doing and walked in front of the desk that Ashley had sat down in.  
  
"Ashley," Miss Crowe began, "that letter you and Sherri were writing back and forth this morning-"  
  
Ashley immediately interrupted, "Were in a girl gang and it has nothing to do with---with---that stuff."  
  
Miss Crowe chuckled, "No, no! You're not in any trouble! I just wanted to inform you that I got a call about you from a good friend of mine from college."  
  
Ashley gazed at her with a blank stare that expressed her thoughts: And.  
  
"His name is Darryl Worthing." She said plainly.  
  
This took Ashley by total surprise and nearly knocked her out of her chair, "Da-Darryl Worthing!"  
  
Miss Crowe nodded, "Ten years ago I was a freshman at Oxford University majoring in Teaching with a minor on Ancient Languages. It was in my Latin class that I met Darryl, me and him were so much alike. Then, as our freshman year rounded out he came to me and spilled everything he knew on me-everything he was. He trusted me and thought that I'd make an excellent watcher so I changed my major and Darryl and I went off on our own journey- together."  
  
"You two were dating?" Ashley said.  
  
"Yes, for a year or so. Then came my third year in Oxford and my in depth study in the black history of the world. Darryl was so supportive and the evil we faced together was so great-but one night I freaked. I woke up next to Darryl after we fought a very powerful Chaos Demon and I packed my things and left. It had all become to dark for me and since that night I've never spoke to Darryl Worthing again-until today.  
  
"He told me something very interesting, " she continued, "he told me that a red-head in one of my classes named Ashley Vaughn was the Slayer and in desperate need of a watcher. Now what do think we are to do about this problem?"  
  
Ashley was at a loss of words, she didn't know why she was so shocked but she was and didn't respond to Miss Crowe's question.  
  
"Well I'll tell you what!" she said, "I told him that I'd be your new watcher."  
  
Ashley was blown away again, "WHAT!"  
  
Miss Crowe smiled, "Yes, I'm your new watcher."  
  
Ashley was in a state of disbelief but then she noticed that Collin was still there.  
  
"Let me guess, he's Darryl's son." She said sarcastically.  
  
"Close," Collin said, "I'm his nephew, best computer hacker the Council has to offer and I can speak and understand 14 demon languages and 5 ancient mortal languages."  
  
Miss Crowe backed him up, "Yes, Darryl told me about Collin and I talked to him and Collin informed me that he would like to help in this effort." She walked back to her desk, "So why don't you start by telling me what happened last night."  
  
Let the fun begin, Ashley thought. 


	6. The New Scooby Gang

(Ya'll, I'm sorry that I haven't been updating regularly-school has been getting hard and my parents are on a control trip so please forgive me. Thanks for your reviews and e-mails.)  
  
Chapter Six: The New Scooby Gang  
  
Miss Crowe, who insisted that Ashley call her Carrie, and Ashley talked for the whole of fourth period and when the bell rang Ashley insisted that she had to go.  
  
Carrie turned out to be cooler than Ashley expected. When Ashley told her about last night and how she felt about it all Carrie ended up telling her about Buffy Summers and how she met her demise. How friends kept her alive and even helped to kill the greatest of evils they faced. She also told her of the pain Buffy went through because of her friends and for her friends. All in all it turned out that without friends the Master would have risen and the whole world would have gone to hell in a hand basket. Then Carrie talked with Ashley about what she would do personally and told her that she would back her no matter what her decision was.  
  
Then they talked about the training and more on the schedule. As it turned out Ashley would have to check in with her every morning, training would be every day of the school week from when school let out to six, then she would patrol every night for at least two hours. Ashley granted that it was a rather tight schedule but as of now she had no complaints.  
  
So there she was thinking of all the things her and Carrie had talked about and rushing down the hall to Parker's car. Indeed, she ran into him as she was rounding E-hall, he was coming to look for her.  
  
They exchanged a few words and he got her books and guided her to his car. When they arrived they loaded up and he took her home.  
  
"Do you want me to come in?" he asked.  
  
She grabbed her books and walked around the car to his window, "You can, but you'll be here at about eight anyway right?"  
  
"Well yeah," he said, "well I'll see ya then."  
  
"Yeah." She smiled and leaned into the car and kissed him before walking into house.  
  
*******  
  
"Mom! I'm home." She said as she walked in. Her mother didn't get the job she was 'auditioning' for yesterday so she made plans for another one Friday.  
  
"Hey Ashley," her mother said, walking out of the kitchen to meet her in the foyer, "how was school?"  
  
"It was great," she said as she dropped her books in the living room corner and followed her mother back to the kitchen.  
  
She leaned on the island as her mother was busy at the stove, "By the way- there's this boy at school who asked me out today. Do you mind if he comes and picks me up?"  
  
Her mom nearly dropped the spoon that she was using to stir whatever is she was cooking, "Oh, already?"  
  
Ashley shrugged, "Yeah."  
  
Her mother turned to her, "And where will you be going."  
  
Ashley pondered for a minute, "Some place called the Bronze, it's a local club."  
  
Her mother sighed and tapped her fingers on the island countertop, "Okay, but be careful. I don't like the idea of you going out with someone on the THIRD day of school."  
  
"Oh its fine mom, really---its that boy who's been picking me up in the morning. I told you about him."  
  
"Okay," her mom said, "Be back by twelve."  
  
"You got it mom." Ashley smiled and walked up to her room.  
  
*******  
  
Ashley turned on the TV in her bedroom and flipped it to MTV. The one thing she hated about being on the West Coast is that she was behind on the shows she watched back home. Though it didn't do her much good to flip on the TV because as soon as she got comfortable on her bed something hit her window.  
  
So she got up in sync and walked to the window, opened it and there was Eric leaning on his windowsill.  
  
"Hey!" Ashley said, "I had almost forgot you lived next door-you've been a stranger lately."  
  
He eyed her, "A stranger, huh? I just figured it was time we talked so I figured I throw something at your window and get your attention."  
  
"Well it's got. You wanna come over? We can talk-its like four hours before Parker's coming over to pick me up."  
  
He nodded, "Alright, I'll be over in a sec."  
  
They closed their windows and Ashley headed downstairs.  
  
"Mom, Eric's coming over!" she said as she exited the stairway.  
  
Her mother came out of the living room, "What?"  
  
"Eric, our next door neighbor who's in my US history class."  
  
"Okay," her mother eyed her.  
  
It wasn't but a minute after her mother finished her words that Eric knocked on the door.  
  
"Hey, come on in." Ashley said as she opened the door.  
  
Eric walked in, "Thank you."  
  
Ashley guided him into the kitchen and introduced him to her mother. And with a few comments about how good the cooking smelled and a few well placed compliments he had the total approval of her mother. And so they hung around in the kitchen with her mother drinking cokes and conversing.  
  
The time actually went by pretty fast, and Ashley and her mother got to know Eric better. He turned out to be a very funny person, friendly and Ashley also noticed that he seemed extremely loyal to his friends from the way he acted. His history wasn't particularly exciting, and he made it clear that in Sunnydale there was no life for teenagers outside the Bronze (he grinned at Ashley in reference to the Slayer thing-not knowing whether or not her mother knew).  
  
At six Carolyn and Chris showed up, and her mother invited them to dinner. So the five of them sat down to the dining room table to eat when a few minutes after six Sherri showed up and increased the dining number to six. And so they all sat there conversing over some Italian dish her mother had cooked.  
  
It wasn't long before Ashley looked up to the clock and saw that she had only an hour before she had to be ready for her date with Parker and so she told them she had to go get ready. Sherri and Carolyn also excused themselves to go help her choose her attire.  
  
*******  
  
"This one's nice." Sherri said, not believing that her and Carolyn James were talking-just last week they were arch-nemesis's. But she was glad that there was one less person to pick on her.  
  
"Yeah." Carolyn said, gazing over the hunter green halter-top dress, "What about this?" she held up a tight fitting black outfit.  
  
"That's nice, a little Slayerish but cool all-around." Sherri nodded.  
  
"But isn't she a slayer, shouldn't look like a slayer or should she look like a non-slayer?" Carolyn looked through Ashley's closet and then her and Sherri saw the perfect outfit for a first date.  
  
Soon Ashley walked in wrapped in a bathrobe with wet hair. She was rigorously drying her hair as Carolyn and Sherri were showing her their choices. After about thirty minutes she was done getting ready and there came a knock on her door.  
  
"Yes," Carolyn opened the door-it was Ashley's father.  
  
"Daddy!" Ashley said as she gave him a hug, "You finally back from Sacramento?"  
  
"Yes, and what are wearing?" he eyed her dress.  
  
"It's a dress daddy." She said, looking herself over to make sure everything was where it should be.  
  
"It looks like underwear." He eyed her.  
  
"Uh!" Ashley grunted as she guided him to the door, "Since when does the man on the cover of Lawyers Weekly know about teenager fashion?"  
  
Her father stepped outside of the door, "Since he became your father."  
  
"Alright, Mr. Lawyer of the Month, you make it onto the cover of Seventeen magazine and then I'll consider using your Puritan fashion tips-love ya daddy." She smiled and shut the door.  
  
She turned to them, "So how do I look?"  
  
They both gave thumbs up and grinned as they saw how nervous she was. Of course, Ashley had no idea why she was so nervous-she had been with Parker plenty of times in the past two days. She figured it would be enough to calm her to think of him, as he was when they were together normally-but most of their encounters were NOT normal.  
  
The doorbell and her mom calling up to her room interrupted her pondering: "ASHLEY! YOUR DATE IS HERE!"  
  
She looked up to Carolyn and Sherri and she headed to the door of her room, but she was interrupted by Sherri and Carolyn both saying: "What are you doing!?"  
  
Ashley turned, "I'm going to meet my date."  
  
Sherri sighed, "Sure! Great way to start off a date-don't' you know anything?"  
  
Carolyn chimed in by saying: "You NEVER go straight down! You wait a few minutes, give him time to ponder and then blow him away by gracefully moving down the steps and walk up to him and say-"  
  
"Sorry to keep you waiting." Sherri interrupted.  
  
"Exactly!" Carolyn agreed.  
  
"And why do I do this?" Ashley looked confused.  
  
Sherri eyed her, "Because if you keep him waiting it builds up his anxiousness. Then when you come down you stake him in the heart, not literally, with your looks and when you say 'sorry to keep you waiting' it ties the whole date into a start mode."  
  
Ashley eyed her.  
  
"DUH!" Carolyn stated, "When you say it the guy usually stutters out 'No problem' then you know you've got it in the bag."  
  
"But we already have it in the bag-I mean we've already kissed and pretty much tied the knot, well, in the dating way." Ashley said.  
  
"Just do it!" the two girls ordered in unison.  
  
"Alright!" Ashley eyed them, "Here I am, going down there and doing what you said."  
  
"Alright then!" Sherri said, gazing over to Carolyn, "We'll be there later."  
  
Ashley eyed the two girls just before walking out of her room and down the stairs. She was careful to do the pose and walk that they had told her to do. She let her hair fall over her left shoulder as she walked down the stairs. She slid a strand of her hair behind her ear as she walked up to him.  
  
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting." She said in her best tempting voice she could muster, feeling entirely stupid. Especially as her mother, father, Eric and Chris looked on.  
  
"I-it's fine, n-no problem." Parker stuttered. He had his hair gelled and styled a bit different that usual, but still nice. He wore a long sleeved button up shirt, which was a very light, almost white, blue, and loose fitting jeans. And Ashley couldn't help but notice that bruise she had given him the night before had healed a bit more since the morning.  
  
"Lets go then." Ashley smiled and walked out with him.  
  
Eric turned to Chris, "She's got him around her finger."  
  
Chris chuckled, "Obviously Carolyn and Gery gave her hints."  
  
Eric looked to Chris, "Her name is Sherri."  
  
"Oh, right."  
The band that night was amazingly good, like a mix between Linkin Park's music and singing style and Justin Timberlake's dance rhythm. Ashley was enjoying herself, dancing with Parker and just being with him. Even better, no sense of vampire activity. She just got to enjoy time with Parker, being in his arms during the slow dances and tempting him during the faster ones added up to an all too good evening.  
  
She swore to herself once she learned of herself being the Slayer that she would never think about being what she was again, although she did more than once. But now it was better, better than it had been in a long time. It just felt so perfect.  
  
"All right folks!" said the country sounding lead guitarist, "Were gonna leave ya for tonight but we'll be back next Friday!"  
  
The crowd applauded as they stepped off of the stage and Parker and Ashley walked over to the table they were sharing with the other guys. As soon as they sat Eric and Sherri came off of the dance floor along with Carolyn and Chris as the speakers began to blare 50 cent's new single "In Da Club".  
  
Sherri took her seat on the end of the table right across from Ashley as they all began to talk about the night. Soon Ashley tuned out of the conversation as the music 'slowed' in her head and she heard a gush of wind from the left. She looked that way and sure enough she picked a vampire out of the crowd, however the vampire was coming straight to the table.  
  
He walked up and Ashley eyed him, she didn't have enough time to warn the others.  
  
He looked Sherri over, he was attractive to say the least, "Hey, you wanna dance?"  
  
Sherri looked up and grinned, "Sure."  
  
Ashley kicked her under the table and said through pursed lips, "I thought you had a boyfriend."  
  
Sherri grinned, "We broke up." And then she left to the dance floor with the vampire.  
  
As soon as they were out of hearing range she turned to them, "That dude was a vampire!"  
  
Eric jumped up, "WHAT!"  
  
Carolyn eyed Eric, "Keep it down moron!"  
  
"Why didn't you say something?" Chris asked.  
  
"I tried!" Ashley said, "That's why I kicked her."  
  
Parker eyed her, "Well everyone hit the dance floor, we've gotta keep an eye on them."  
  
Eric jumped up, "No need."  
  
The rest also rose and scanned the dance floor.  
  
"Why?" Carolyn asked.  
  
"Because she just headed out of the door." Eric said and almost instantly Ashley bolted out of the door closely followed by the rest of them.  
  
*******  
  
"So what's all this I hear about you and you're ex?" the vampire asked Sherri as he led her off farther down the alley.  
  
"Nothing, just a break up a few years ago." Sherri said as she kicked a coke can.  
  
"Well your mourning over him is over." He replied.  
  
"And why is that?" Sherri looked up to him.  
  
"Because you're about to die." He vamped out and let out a deep throat growl.  
  
Sherri screamed.  
Ashley jerked her head in the direction of the scream as the rest came out and she went running to the noise telling them to stay behind, of course they didn't obey.  
  
When they all made it there they saw Sherri bang the vampire in the head with a trash tin and then swipe it off of its feet with a 2x4. But when Sherri went in to shove the 2x4 in its heart the vampire flipped up and knocked her back into the brick wall of a neighboring building.  
  
It was then that Ashley got the chance to intervene but was swiped across the face by the 2x4 the vampire stole from Sherri. Then to a surprising visual sight Parker, Chris and Eric ganged up on it. Then Carolyn rammed a broken piece of wood through the vampire, but she missed the heart and through some clever moves by the vampire he had enough time to dodge past them. However Ashley met him with an accurately placed stake and he turned to dust.  
  
She looked up at them all, not badly bruised but Sherri looked extremely pissed. She grinned and said: "So you still want to be full fledged Slayerettes?"  
  
Sherri grinned, "That kicked ass! I need some more of that!"  
  
Then they all busted into conversation about the fight as they walked back down to the Bronze.  
  
(Okay people, this marks the end of my 'introduction to the characters' if you want to call it that. From here on out the days will pass much faster and, to those of you who think its focusing too much on certain characters, I hope I to evenly spread the roles. Please e-mail my friend at avrilkicksass05@yahoo.com or post reviews here on fanfiction to help me make the story better. Thanks!) 


	7. Prophecies in the Dark

Chapter Seven: Prophecies in the Dark  
  
"And the slayer of the end years shall look upon him and she shall tremble. For he will have the powers of the dominion of Hades on his side and the world shall bend under his power."  
  
"Gotta give you points for that one Collin, not cryptic and very threatening." Ashley smiled as she did sit ups on the floor of Carrie's classroom.  
  
Collin sighed, "C'mon Ashley I'm doing my best to translate this junk for you. Carrie has been on my ass the past two weeks for not teaming up with you and giving you these things."  
  
Ashley grinned, "I appreciate it too Collin, but I don't really believe in the whole 'prophecy' thing, but keep reading."  
  
It had been two weeks since Ashley had fought that vampire outside of the Bronze with Sherri, Eric, Carolyn, Chris and Parker and so far they have made a great scooby gang. Collin himself was valuable to the team also but he was always by himself doing homework or reading up on some old apocalyptic book. In effect, he and Ashley mainly talked every Tuesday and Wednesday nights when she did her personal workout just after school and he came to read her some things he translated for her and Carrie.  
  
"Oh," he said as she was jump-roping, "here's that one I was telling you about before-'The Order of the Left Hand shall regain her strength and rise again to breath life into the most vile demon's hearts and bring them forth in the form of innocence and naiveté' I think that has something to do with those brown robed people you told me about the other day."  
  
Ashley looked up at him, "Why?"  
  
"Because I took it upon myself to translate the vague account of what they were saying and as it turns out they were attempting to raise a demon through Carolyn and Chris using the power invested in Eric and Sherri's soul."  
  
"Power?" Ashley asked, stopping her jump roping.  
  
"Yes, it is the theory of most cultures and religions the soul contains infinite power and energy. Basically if you can harness the power of the soul you can do almost anything imaginable."  
  
"So these guys are going all souly to raise demons?"  
  
"I think so." Collin nodded.  
  
"Oh well," Ashley said, "I think I'll get physical and beat the souly out of them."  
  
Collin grinned, "That would be cool."  
  
Carrie came in the room, her arms loaded with papers from the faculty meeting, she looked slightly irritated as she turned to them.  
  
"Ashley, have you done the routine?" Carrie eyed the red-head.  
  
"Yes master." She said with a little spice in her voice, "I also picked six bales of cotton in the past hour and a half, you proud?"  
  
Carrie grinned, "Smart ass, but yes I'm proud."  
  
Ashley grabbed her bag and grinned, "Thanks! I got to go."  
  
At this Carrie jumped up, "I think not, you've still got two hours of training."  
  
"Yeah, I know, but Parker and me are going to LA tonight to shop for a homecoming dress."  
  
Carrie sighed, "Since when do they have a basketball homecoming?"  
  
Ashley grinned, "First Annual, you know, Parker's on the Student Council so I know things before the teachers!" Ashley then said her good byes and left.  
  
*******  
  
The odor of burning flesh filled the damp barn. It was old, and dark inside. It sat on a plot of land about 50 miles outside of Sunnydale. Gathered around the fire were ten figures draped in brown robes, chanting steadily and quietly.  
  
The figures began to rock back and forth and then gripped each other's hands tightly and their chants became so quietly loud that it was deafening. Soon they yelled the final verse and the red fire that was burning the corpse of the pure-breed white stallion they were sacrificing turned black and then incinerated the horse to mere ashes. The leader of the brown robed figures stood up and raised his hands in the air and yelled out an archaic-Latin incantation and out of the ashes of the stallion rose a hell-beast centaur  
  
The centaur had deep black fur and pale black skin from the waist up. It held in its hands a great scythe and had a great bow strapped to its back. It reared up at the sight of all of the people around it, but knew that these were the ones that had raise it from the grave.  
  
"W-Wha-What are you? Who a-are you?" it said in rusty English.  
  
The figures took off their hoods and revealed a group of teenagers were hidden beneath the robes. The leader stood up, his bleach-blonde hair nearly shining in the dark surroundings.  
  
"We are your new parents and we want you to do something for us." He eyed his followers, "Go to LA and attack West Side Designs and kill everyone in there and then you're free." Their leader glared at the centaur, forcing information on how to get there and who to kill first of all.  
  
The centaur scoffed, "A Slayer."  
  
The leader nodded and the centaur stormed off into the night and half an hour later they could still hear the faint whispering of the creatures of the woods, terrified of what had just stormed through.  
  
The leader turned to his followers, "The slayer has interrupted our practices once and has therefore put us three months behind, she will not do so again. It has also come to my knowledge that she now knows who we are thanks to a volume that Algebra teacher owns, but thanks to an inside link we have it here with us."  
  
He pulled out the ancient looking book, bound in leather and tied together by thick bands of rope, "And now we sacrifice it."  
  
He threw it into the ashes of what was the fire and said, "Inferno!" Then the book exploded into flames as the followers watched.  
  
*******  
  
Sherri walked out of the dressing room in a royal blue dress. It was tight fitting to her body and cut off about mid-thigh. Its sleeves fit her upper arm almost perfectly and at the elbow down was cut to make the sleeves dangle from the elbow down.  
  
"Bravo!" Eric said as she walked out, "I like it."  
  
Sherri slightly blushed, she hadn't really gotten dressed up since her and her boyfriend broke up almost three weeks ago. Ashley nearly killed her when she found out, one for going out with him and two for not telling her, but now everything was going perfect for her. She was talking to this boy named Mitchell Neal, a sandy-blonde haired, deep blue eyed junior. He was one of Parker and Chris's friends who was single and looking so they hooked them up.  
  
Then Ashley walked out. She wore an emerald green dress with two thick straps that held it up. It fit her just enough to show her curves but not so tight that she had to walk so that it wouldn't' rip.  
  
Parker grinned at his girlfriend's choice, it was amazing on her. He still couldn't believe that they had gotten together. It had been two weeks-they got 'official' shortly after that fight at the Bronze and since then have been inseparable. He walked up to his girl and said: "Mmm."  
  
She grinned as he wrapped his arms around her, "You like?"  
  
He nodded and gave her a quick kiss as she turned to talk to the fitting lady. As it turned out her and Sherri's dress only cost about $150 a piece.  
  
They had wanted Carolyn and Chris to come with them, but their parents took them somewhere to get a dress and tuxedo that the family had always been shopping at.  
  
With that Ashley and Carolyn went to change out into their own clothes and returned to find Parker and Eric across the room looking at two tuxedos. Therefore, they walked over and Ashley put her arms around her boyfriend's torso and said, "You picking out a suit?"  
  
"Yeah, but my dad's got one that he's just dependent on me wearing so I guess I'll wear his."  
  
Ashley grinned, "You'll look great."  
  
Parker turned to her and they looked at each other for a moment and drew into a kiss, for some reason they didn't' have a problem with public affection, as long as it didn't' go too far. Ashley pulled away and bit her lower lip then smiled, "You know, you're a little bit too good to me."  
  
Parker smiled, "Maybe, but I love it."  
  
Eric looked to Sherri and she shrugged.  
  
"Maybe we should head to the ice cream parlor across the street, they could be like this for a while." Eric suggested.  
  
"I agree," Sherri stated, "but should we leave them alone? When we come back they might have three kids and an SUV."  
  
Ashley looked over to Sherri, "Cow!"  
  
Sherri grinned, but then they heard some women scream not far off in the distance. Everyone's expression turned grim as they heard glass shatter at the opposite end of the store then the sound of pounding hooves made Ashley's senses stand on high. Then came something neither of them had ever seen before, a black-towering centaur.  
  
Sherri let out a scream as it came rumbling toward them and it swung is scythe at Ashley. She ducked down and swung her leg around to knock the centaur off balance but only ended up hurting her leg. It then reared up slammed its hooves down on Ashley, however she caught its hooves and by a great show of strength she twisted its legs and forced it to fall to the ground.  
  
Ashley flipped up and then snatched one of the centaur's arrows out of its quill and then stabbed it with that arrow. However the blow merely angered it more and it rose up and charged her again. She dodged and then, in a clever flip, jumped up and landed on its back. The centaur thrashed to get loose from her but she wrapped her hands around his head and then snapped it.  
  
Sherri cringed at the cracking noise, but glanced around at all of the people and looked at Ashley, "We better go."  
  
They all nodded and then ran out just as the authorities showed up to the scene.  
  
*******  
  
"A CENTAUR! BIG, BLACK, ALMOST KILLED ME WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW!" Ashley exclaimed, rather unnerved at Carrie and Collin's disbelief in what she said.  
  
Parker put his arm around Ashley, "Calm down, Ashley."  
  
Carrie nodded, "I've never heard of a centaur attacking someone, they are peaceful creatures."  
  
"Wait!" Collin said, "I remember reading something about a centaur war-lord killed shortly after the crucifixion. Now can describe exactly what he looked like. Human face, demented face? Muscular or thin?"  
  
"He looked kinda like that centaur off of Harry Potter!" Sherri said, earning strange looks from Eric, Parker and Ashley.  
  
"Harry Potter?" Eric eyed her.  
  
"Yes!" Collin said, "He was an ally of the Order of the Left Hand! His name is-" Collin jogged him memory, "I want to say Gravlox, Centaur of Chaos."  
  
Carrie got up and went to her bookcase, her house wasn't large but it housed numerous texts that the Council didn't even know existed.  
  
"Uh-oh." Carrie muttered.  
  
Collin looked to her, "What?"  
  
Carrie looked disturbed, "The book is missing."  
  
Ashley looked up, a bit of shock on her face, "I though it was locked away!"  
  
"It was!" Carrie said, "That was our only link to the order, which can only mean one thing."  
  
"Which is?" Sherri asked.  
  
"They know that we know." Collin said.  
  
Carrie nodded, "So now all we have to do is keep our ear to the ground and watch for-well, a sign."  
  
Ashley walked to the window and looked out of it and to the moon, "Well I'm off patrolling. Still gotta kill those vamps." She said with fake enthusiasm.  
  
*******  
  
The air of Sunnydale refilled his nostrils for the first time in over two years. He enjoyed being here, causing havoc and someone had called him here-someone new.  
  
"And in the last days, the souls shall become demons and those that are good will stand beside those that are evil." A man, draped in a brown cloak revealed himself from the shadows, "The chaos bringers shall die and a new leader shall emerge, those of old shall serve those that are new and the new shall lead the lost mortals into hell."  
  
The man turned to face the newcomer who was draped in a brown cloak, "Ahh, from the Dark Chronicles I presume, they were quite a good read."  
  
The cloaked figure scoffed, "Ruin my trip why don't you?"  
  
The man laughed, "Of course, why am I here. You are Collin I presume."  
  
The cloaked figure took off his hood and grinned, his bleach blonde hair shining in the dark, "Yes, Collin Johnson-high priest of the Order of the Left Hand. And you are Ethan Rayne."  
  
Ethan nodded, "Yes, now-why am I here."  
  
Collin lifted an eyebrow, "To kill the Slayer."  
  
Ethan backed away, "No, I've already had my taste of the Slayers and I no longer wish to involve myself with them or in your petty affairs."  
  
Collin smiled, "Buffy Summers is dead, killed in a battle against Ava, the demi-god of illusions. Faith was murdered in a prison in LA. There is a new Slayer, very susceptible to trickery-she thinks I'm on her side and so I need you to cook up a clever plan to kill her, you have two months. After that time your job is invalidated and you are not going to receive our generous reparations."  
  
"How generous?" Ethan asked.  
  
"Fifteen thousand in British dollars-Council money but all the same."  
  
Ethan nodded, "It will be done."  
  
"Good." Collin grinned and stepped back into the shadows. A slight, undead sounding moan was let loose from where he stood then a whispering of many voices. Ethan then saw his outline in the shadows disappear and a faint black line zoom past his feet. 


	8. All Night Long

Chapter Eight: All Night Long  
  
"I need these supplies," Ethan said, handing a list of materials to the shopkeeper.  
  
The shopkeeper glanced over the list and looked back up him, "'This is a continuation spell, what for?"  
  
Ethan grinned, "None of your business, I'm paying you so please do as I ask."  
  
The shopkeeper nodded and got his things for him, which added up to a total of over two hundred dollars. She knew that whatever he was attempting to do was dark, people didn't cast continuation spells for anything good.  
  
Ethan smiled and walked out of the Magic Box. As soon as he stepped foot into the night outside he was met by Collin.  
  
"Oh gods!" Ethan said as Collin popped out in front of him, "Don't do that when I'm working for you."  
  
"Its been two weeks and we've had no word from you, I was starting to worry that you were gone. And none of us would want that-would we?" Collin's eyes did the rest of the talking for him. People who had known him for a while would think of him as a friend, not threatening but his glare sent a chill down Ethan's spine.  
  
"I'm sorry, I've been working on a spell that could keep the Slayer out of your way until, well---lets just say she'll dance to her death."  
  
Collin nodded, "Good, because I don't like people who mess up my plans. I'm sure you understand."  
  
"Completely." Ethan said then rushed down the street, getting as far away from Collin as possible.  
  
Collin took in a deep breath and stuck his hands in his pockets, "I love the smell of death." He then turned and took steps down the street toward his house.  
  
The shopkeeper removed her eyes from the window and sighed. The slayer? She thought, There's another one in town?  
  
She turned and walked through the shop until she reached a standalone mirror. She eyed herself in the mirror and adjusted her purple turtle neck sweater. She sighed, "Okay, Anya." Anya said to her reflection, "Don't dabble, keep in your own business. The Slayer can handle this."  
  
She breathed in deep and eyed the phone, should she call Willow and Giles? Should she interrupt them in England? She thought for a second and let out another deep sigh, "No, mind your own business." She walked over the floor and opened a cabinet behind the cashiers counter. She opened it and pulled out a framed picture, a picture of herself, Xander, Willow, Tara, Buffy, Dawn, Giles and Spike all together shortly after the re-opening of the Magic Box, shortly before Buffy was killed.  
  
She pressed her lips together and let a tear escape her eye. In the wake of Buffy's death the entire Scooby Gang had split up. Giles took Willow and Dawn to England for rehabilitation for Willow, seeing as how she was pushed over the edge when Tara was killed, and to train Dawn to harness her powers as the Key for further use in demon slayage. Spike went into a rage and nearly had to be staked, therefore he left and the last Anya heard of him he was in New York-for what reason she did not know. Xander, her ex- fiancee, left her. He was so shocked and taken by Buffy's death that he left Anya on a wild rampage and he supposedly had gone to Georgia, a place to relax away from all hell-mouths and demons.  
  
And Anya, she was left in Sunnydale-the only one that would stay. She had been keeping up shop in the Magic Box and went slaying on random nights. She had even learned a few magic tricks, things that Willow could do without thinking she had to do with a long incantation but it was helpful when a vampire was overpowering her.  
  
She shook her head, trying to get rid of the thoughts. She grabbed her coat and put it on then headed for the door, she looked back on the shop-as she did every night-and remembered all of the memories housed in it. She swallowed and then turned off the light and closed the door and headed to her apartment.  
  
*******  
  
Ashley leaned closer to Parker as they walked through the Restfield Cemetery. She enjoyed being out with him, whether it was enjoying a dinner at his parents house or dancing on the floor of the Bronze or wrestling vampires it was always a good time with him. She liked having that security of someone with her and she hadn't been this happy in a very long time. Granted, the book that was supposed to lead them to this apocalyptic cult called the Order of the Left Hand was stolen, she still didn't care as long as she was with him.  
  
Her feelings toward him over the past two months had blossomed to become something that she had never really felt before. Not even with Sam had she felt this way. Parker could touch her and she would melt in his arms, he could talk to her over the phone and the pain of not being able to see him was almost unbearable. Obviously, her feelings were leading her to something that she couldn't identify, something more intense than any destiny she had to face.  
  
She looked up to him as he had his arm around her and she said, 'Well, there's not much action tonight. You wanna head home?"  
  
He looked to her and nodded, "If your ready to go then I guess I am."  
  
She smiled, "What, you wanna stay here with the corpses?"  
  
He grinned and looked at her, "No, I wanna stay with you."  
  
Her expression froze still and then she wrapped her arms around him as he did the same and their lips touched momentarily. She broke the kiss and looked up to him, "I love you, you know that right?"  
  
He nodded, "I love you more."  
  
"No, no." She grinned and put her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.  
  
"Yeah," he said, "I think I do."  
  
"I know you don't," she said.  
  
"What makes you say that?" he asked her, playfully.  
  
"Cuz," she started, then her expression changed as she threw him out of the way of an incoming vampire, "There's a vampire sneaking up on us."  
  
She eyed the vampire in disgust and round-housed it, "You vampires always know the exact WRONG time to show up, don't you?" She then hit it and slammed it back against a tombstone and shoved a stake in its heart.  
  
She turned to Parker, "Okay, where were we?"  
  
He grinned, "Going home?"  
  
She nodded and let herself get trapped in his arms as they walked to her house.  
  
They got to her street and she looked up to him, "You know what I've just realized?"  
  
He looked to her, "What?"  
  
She smiled and said, "I should be walking you home."  
  
"Yeah, I hear you." He grinned, 'You gonna walk me five miles outside of town to my house?"  
  
"No, no. I'm gonna steal your car and go." She grinned as he leaned down and gave her a kiss.  
  
"Go on, don't get caught sneaking in." He grinned.  
  
She broke the kiss and slid away from him, "I love you, baby." And with that she proceeded to climb up the tree next to her room and hop into her window.  
  
Parker watched her up until she turned on her bedroom light and then walked down the street to his car, which was parked at the very end of the road.  
  
*******  
  
Sherri walked out of Ashley's bedroom in her royal blue dress, the one they had bought just before the centaur attacked them a few days ago. Mitchell Neal was there in the hall waiting for her in a black tux and a bow tie. He smiled as Sherri walked up to her, this was their second date and she really liked him-but he did not know about Ashley and her 'extra- curricular' activities, and that may cause problems in the relationship. But it was all good right now, here he was and here she was and that was perfect enough.  
  
Soon after Sherri left Ashley's room Carolyn and Ashley followed her out. Carolyn was dressed in a black, sparkling halter top dress. Ashley came out in her emerald green dress that she had bought with Sherri up in LA a few days ago.  
  
Of course, they were well received by their boyfriends. The strange thing to Ashley was that this night marked their second month of dating. Parker had remembered and they missed first and second period earlier that day because Parker had set her up a nice little breakfast, and they had talked and kissed until they realized it was almost eleven-o'clock. She grinned as Parker came up and kissed her lightly then told her how great she looked.  
  
"You look good too," she smiled and then put her hands on his chest and played with his tux, "Strange, this is the first time I've seen you in dress clothes."  
  
He yanked slightly on his bow tie, "And I hope it will be the last.:"  
  
She grinned and kissed him lightly, "You look great."  
  
"Not as good as you." He said, looking down adoringly at her. They locked eyes and fiddled with each other's hands for an unknown time. But they were snapped out of their trance when Sherri chimed in, "The limo's here."  
  
Ashley smiled at Sherri, "That's great!" She took Parker by the hand and they walked down the stairs and sneaked out of the house before her mother could start with the picture taking.  
  
*******  
  
"Why didn't Eric come?" Ashley asked as they stepped out of the limo.  
  
Parker looked to her as he shut the door, "He had to go up to LA with his father for an audition."  
  
Sherri grinned at the thought of Eric in a movie. He went up to LA to audition for the part of Alex Smith, a young aspiring teenager who is caught up in a murder spree. The movie was going to be called something like "All Course Zero".  
  
Eric had quested to be an actor since his part as an extra in a NyQuil commercial. He was a good actor, but it wasn't known if he had what it took to make it in Hollywood. Nevertheless, it was good that he was trying.  
  
"So," said Carolyn, "did we come here to stand outside and talk about Eric's sun-shiny career or did we come to party?"  
  
With that they all took steps toward the Bronze and entered. It was an amazing site, lights and music and drinks and decorations. It was almost too perfect. Too good to be true.  
  
*******  
  
Collin started his dark blue Chevrolet 1500 and made sure that all of the supplies for the spell Ethan had come up with were in place. Ethan soon climbed into the passenger seat and told him everything was going well just as three of the other followers of the Order of the Left Hand took their places in the bed of the truck.  
  
Collin turned to Ethan, "Are you sure this is going to work?"  
  
Ethan scoffed and said: "The only person that could possibly have a clue what were doing is that shopkeeper, Anya I think her name was."  
  
Collin scowled evilly, "Maybe we should kill her, to tie up loose ends."  
  
Ethan looked to him, "Are you serious? Its going to be hard to accomplish what you're wanting to do if the police get involved in a murder investigation."  
  
"Quit worrying Ethan," Collin sighed, "I know what I'm doing."  
  
Ethan shook his head and looked out into the darkness as they drove to the Bronze.  
  
*******  
  
Ashley, Sherri, Carolyn, Parker, Mitchell and Chris all took a seat at a nearby table from the dance floor. They were partly laughing, not knowing why. Ashley, for one, had never had such a good night in a long time. She thought of Parker every other second and she enjoyed every moment they were together. As a matter of fact they were never caught not touching in some way the entire night.  
  
They were indeed having a good time and without a doubt did not want this night to end. Soon their time of rest was over for a rather old song called "Never Had A Dream Come True" by S Club 7 came on the speakers and literally the entire crowd flocked to the dance floor to slow dance to this classic song.  
  
Ashley looked up to Parker as her hands wrapped around his neck and his around her waist. She smiled as he looked down to her and they were locked together in the moment, a perfect moment that was to be treasured. No words were needed to be said, for they both knew how the other felt-love.  
  
Sherri was dancing with Mitchell, and oddly she felt something from him- something different. She smiled to him and he smiled back, she thought of how perfect his smile seemed. How nicely it fit with his eyes, his lightly tanned face and his sandy blonde hair. His hands on her hips felt like fire against her needy skin, like the hands of something too good to be true.  
  
Either I'm in love or I'm really horny, Sherri thought, Well, I'm always horny. Damn. She slightly grinned at her own thoughts.  
  
She then looked over to Carolyn and Chris. The perfect couple. They looked great together, were almost as inseparable as Parker and Ashley. They seemed to know each other deeper than what was ever known to anyone else and they truly trusted each other-they were lucky Sherri thought. They had been together for over 3 years, but had been 'going out' for nearly 7 years off and on, they were in love, no doubt about it and a bright future awaited them both-if they lived through high school.  
  
*******  
  
Three teenagers circled the perimeter of the Bronze sprinkling a gray, cloudy dust behind them. They must have circled this place at least six times combined but it would have to stay, for if the dust blew away even in one spot the spell that was about to be cast would rupture and break and spill out randomly in the town. Not that the chaos it would leave in its wake wouldn't be funny, but now they had a job to do and nothing would stop them from completing it.  
  
In front of the main doors of the Bronze Collin and Ethan drew a pentacle on the pavement using blood from a lamb. While Collin put the finishing touches on the reddish-black pentacle, that is letting some of the gray dust fall on the painting, Ethan set up a small altar and cast the required circle.  
  
"Are we ready?" Collin asked.  
  
"Yes," Ethan looked to the doors and said a little charm underneath his breath to seal them, "your minions are going to keep sprinkling dust around the Bronze to ensure that the circle won't be ruptured."  
  
Collin nodded and stepped out of Ethan's way. Ethan then started to chant a very simple incantation and as he did so a white cloud appeared in front of him and began to circle around him, rising ever higher into the sky. Ethan then began to rock in his chant, lightning struck down around he cloud, which could not be heard inside the Bronze or barely even heard by Collin. Then Ethan took an black handled knife and spilt some of his own blood into the circle, and then the clouds around him flew away from him and to the Bronze, the spell had been cast.  
  
*******  
  
Anya threw on her black leather jacket, it had been so long since she had dressed up in this outfit. Black leather pants, black leather jacket and a white tanktop. She had taken over a bit of the slaying responsibilities when her friends left town and now she had to try to be the Anya she was before---the strong Anya who could take anything. She grabbed her duffel bag that was full of magic supplies to stop the spell they may have cast and walked out of her house.  
  
*******  
  
Ashley continued to dance with Parker, as did Carolyn with Chris and Sherri and Mitchell. Everyone was having a wonderful time-and didn't seem to know that they had been on the same part of the same song for forty minutes.  
  
Outside Collin was interrogating Ethan about this spell, "Okay, why didn't you just come up with a round-about way of killing her. I don't see what good this is going to do."  
  
"Collin," Ethan eyed the youngster, "anyone who try's to be a hero and rushes in there will be caught up in the continuum. That one spell can hold up to five thousand different time waves and repeat them for several years. As the moments go by in there they age as usual, they become weak as usual and soon enough they will be dancing corpses"  
  
Collin nodded, "But this has too many ways to fail."  
  
"But just as many ways not to. This is your best bet to buy time, Collin. No one can trace it back to you, not in any way or any reason."  
  
At this time Anya had been listening to their conversation for at least fifteen minutes, learning of what was cast and who her enemies were. She found out a great bit about Ethan, and this blonde boy named Collin. She knew that somehow Collin had connections with the Slayer, and the Slayer was his next planned victim. But how did he know the Slayer? They did not talk of this, or anything else but instead walked off chuckling-they were going to her shop. To kill her.  
  
Anya stood and watched as they all filtered out and two vampires stood watch around the building. She slipped a strand of her newly dyed strawberry blonde hair behind her ear as she carefully stepped behind a car and near one of the vampires. She reached inside her jacket and pulled out a stake, she gripped it tight in her hand and leapt. It was quick, silent and completely on surprise, the vampire outstretched his hands and fell to his knees then erupted into dust.  
  
The other vampire, who stood about two hundred yards away, heard the dust explosion and turned. What met its eyes was Anya standing over the remains of the vampire she slayed gripping her stake and glaring back. The vampire let out a growl and charged for Anya, who leaned all her weight onto her back leg and leapt up just in time for the vampire to run under her and slam into the car behind her, breaking the passenger side window.  
  
Anya landed almost gracefully on the pavement and turned, round-housing the attacking vampire and managing to send it back a few inches long enough for her to backhand it and slam a stake into its cold heart.  
  
She then stood up and took a deep breath. She glanced at the building and then at the newly charred altar from which the spell was cast. She rushed over to the altar and sniffed the top of it, she could smell a bit of Eryshon's Trail, a kind of gray dust. Come to think of it she had sold the ingredients to make this dust to Ethan earlier that week. So now she knew that she was right, they made a continuation spell.  
  
In order to cast a spell this powerful they would have to call on the Mistress of Time and Eryshon the Endless One, which means that the reverse incantation would require the summoning of Omegira, the lesser god of Omega. Anya thought for a moment, pondering her options. A casting of Omegira would call upon at least four hundred dollars worth of materials, not including a solid black onyx spirit orb.  
  
She stepped away from the altar and thought for a moment. If her calculations were right those inside would have only two to four days to live-then the spell would both rupture by accident and kill everyone that was inside the building or they would start combusting and falling out dead from lack of water and exhaustion.  
  
There was no way she could get everything that was needed in time, and such a casting would nearly kill her. If only Willow were there or Tara had been killed. Her thoughts lingered for a moment and then suddenly the answer appeared in front of her, her demonic powers. But could she control them in her human body? Would they be too much to handle? As of now she couldn't worry about her own personal safety-the slayer was in danger and she knew what happened when a Slayer died these days.  
  
She sighed, what did she have to live for anyway, a magic shop and a single life? She took in a deep breath and nodded. She had made up her mind, she would call back the demon inside of her. Anyanka would live again. 


End file.
